Feeding mechanism.



3. D. REIFSNYDER & H. G. SCHWERDTLE.

FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEE T I- J. D. REIFSNYDER & H. GLSCHWERDTLE.

FEEDiNG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 28. I914.

Pntsn'red (M. 24, 1916.

4 SHthTS-SHEET 2.

H WH A wwo J. D. REIFSNYDER & H. G. SCHWERDTLE.

FEEDING MECHANISM,

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28. IQIII PMQIH'Ud Oct. 24, 1916.

4 SHEhIS-SHEET 3- mma.

IZ L 'JJI I J' I I I I I I I. D, REIFSNYDER & H. G. SCHWERDTLE.

FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28. 1914.

1 ,QQQfil 5.. Patentvd Oct. 24, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

JAMES E. REIISNYDER AND HENRY G. SCHWERDTLE, OE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYL-ITANIA, ASSIGNOES TO STOKES & SMITH COMPANY, OF SUMMERDALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA. 1

FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2%, 191 3.

Application filed February 28, 1914. Serial No. 321,665.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, JAMES D. REIF- SNYDER and HENRY G. SCHWERDTLE,citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the State ofPennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in FeedingMechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to printing presses of the rotary type containingmechanism for successively feeding thereto sheets to be printed from thebottom of a pile of sheets, and has for one object to provide in connec:tion with an automatic sheet feeding mechanism, including areciprocatingtable supporting the sheets to be printed and a suction picker in theform of an oscillating roller, that engages the bottom sheet of the pileof sheets as it reciprocates over said roller and draws the edge of saidsheet away from the pile, of means connected to the rear edge of saidtable and extending to the suction picker roller to span the spacetherebetween and support the rear of the pile of sheets that projectsover said space, said means adapted to decrease and increase in lengthas the table reciprocates toward and away from said suction picker.

A further object of the invention relates to a separator that entersbetween the sheet being fed and the stack of sheets to prevent saidsheet returning to the pile of sheets should it be disengaged from thesuction picker, and also to direct said sheet downwardly betweenpositively driven feed rollers by which it is drawn from the pile andadvanced to the printing mechanism.

Another object of the invention relates to an attachment for saidseparator by means of which heavy paper and cardboard are fed to theprinting devices as readily as a thinner and more flexible paper.

Withthese and other objects in view the invention consists of the novelconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafterdescribed, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of aportion of a printing press with the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2is a vertical longitudinal sectional View of the same. Fig. 3 is aSimilar View of the feed table and its carrying frame. Fig. l is abottom plan view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detailsectronal view, enlarged, of a portion of the feeding mechanism showingthe attachment used When printingcardboard. Figs. 6 and 7 are enlargeddetail views of the cardboard feed attachment.

In the drawing, 15 indicates the main frame of a printing press at thetop of which are arranged in parallel relation a form cyl inder 16, an;impression cylinder 17, and a take-off frame 18, their axes lying in acommon horizontal plane. A driving pulley 19 on a shaft 20 rotates apinion 21 that engages a gear wheel :22 on one end of the form cylinder,which gear meshes with a gear wheel 23 of the same diameter on theimpression cylinder, and the latter gear wheel in turn drives the gearwheel 21 on the take-off frame. The impression cylinder 17 carries asusual one or more gripper fingers 25 that are opened at the proper timeby a fixed cam 26 and then closed to clasp the edge of the sheet to beprinted against the impression cylinder. Other gripper fingers 27 on thetake-off frame 18 and actuated through a fixed cam 28, receive theprinted sheet from the impression cylinder and carry it to a deliverytable 29 when the grippers open and permit the sheet to drop on thetable. In rear of the form cylinder 16 are arranged the inking rollers30.

Hinged to the front of the main frame 15 near the top thereof is aswinging frame 31 having depending legs 32 pivoted at 33 to a bracket 34projecting from the main frame upon which the frame 31 is adapted toswing from its normal position overlying the impression cylinder andtake-0d frame, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, to an elevatedposition, see dotted lines same figure. The rais ng and lowering of theframe 31 may be performed, directly by grasping it with the hands, butpreferably by means of a worm 35 turning in bearings on the main frameoperating a toothed segment 36 affixed to said swinging frame.

Upon the swinging frame 31 is mounted automatic feed mechanism whichwill now be described. The swinging frame 31 comprises two parallel sidebars 37 secured together by suitable cross-braces, from each of whichbars one of the legs 32 depends. These bars 37 have each a rail 38projecting from its inner face upon which a longitudinally illreciprocating table 39 is supported, said table having side flanges 40that rest upon the rails 38. On the top of the table 39 are carriedthree vertical plates or boards 41'curved outwardly at their upper endswhich abut against three sides of the pile of sheets to be printed. andwhich are adjustable on the table. These boards or plates are adjustableto the size of the sheets by securing bolts 42 and thumb nuts 43, theheads of the bolts engaging undercut grooves 44 in the top of the table.Bolted to the rear of the table at each side is an upwardly andbackwardly inclined bracket 45 between the free ends of which extends arod 46 on which is pivoted a fourth upright board 47 that abuts againstthe rear side of the pile of sheets that overlies the rear edge of thetable, and prevents movement of said sheets as the table reciprocates.The board is substantially fixed, but may be given a slight swingingmovement on the rod 46 by means of an adjusting screw 48 on the bracketthat engages an 'arm 49 rigid with the board 47. De ending from theunderside of the table 39 is a bracket 50 to which is pivoted a link 51that is also connected to the free end of an arm 52 projecting upwardlyfrom a shaft 53 that extends crosswise of the swinging frame 31 and ispivoted in the legs 32 thereof. Preferably there are two of these arms52 and their accompanying links 51 and brackets 50, one on each side ofthe machine. An arm 54 depends from one end of the shaft 53 and isjoined at its lower end to a rod that extends rearwardly to a crank-pin56 on the end of the shaft of the form cylinder 16, see Fig. 2. Fromthis construction it will be evident that at each rotation of the formand impression cylinders the feed table 39 with the pile of sheets to beprinted thereon will be given a single longitudinal movement back andforth in the swinging frame 31.

J ournaled in the frame 31 is a feed roller 57 on one end of which is apinion 58 that, through an idle pinion 59 turnin on a stubshaftprojecting from the frame 31 and meshing with the gear wheel 23 on theimpression cylinder 17, is rotated at the same superficial speed as theperiphery of the impression cylinder, the two inions 58 and 59 being ofthe same diameter. A second feed roller 60 is carried in arms 61 on arock shaft 62 and vibrates to and from the feed roller 57, the two beingbrought into engagement whenever a sheet is to be fed to the impressioncylinder. The feed roller (50 may, if desired, be mounted to remainalways in contact with the roller 57 and yield only sufiiciently topermit a sheet to pass therebetween and be fed thereby. It is preferredhowever to support the roller in the arms 61 as shown. Overlying aportion of the impression cylinder and projecting upwardly in aninclined direction toward the feed roller (30 are one or more fixedguide fingers 63 that direct the edge of the sheet to be printed towardthe impression cylinder, and between the same and the gri per fingersAbove and slightly in advance of the feed roller 57 is a suction picker6- in the present instance in the form of a hollow roller carried on ahollow shaft 65 in communication with a suitable suction device ofanydesired type. Through the periphery of the roller 61 is a smallopening (36 preferably formed in a disk of soft rubber 67 inserted inthe roller. On one end of the roller shaft 65 is afiixed a pinion 68 inengagement with a rack 69 fastened on the feed table 39, by means ofwhich the suction roller is oscillated back and forth as the feed tablereciprocates. The parts are so timed that at the beginning of thefeeding movement of the table 39 the rear side of the pile of sheetswill be just beyond the center of the suction roller 61, as shown by thedotted line in Fig. 2, and the suction opening (56 will be slightly backfrom said side. As the table 39 begins to move, the rack 69 thereonturns the pinion 68 and the suction roller in the direction indicated bythe arrow in F At the same time the suction through the roller isopened. This draws the edge of the lowermost sheet of the pile away fromthe pile and carries it downward beneath a guide finger 70 toward thefeed rollers 57, 60. After turning about av quarter revolution, thesuction through the roller (54 is discontinued, thus releasing the edgeof the sheet being fed, which edge oontiniies its downward movement,because of the reciprocation of the table 39 and the pile of sheetsthereon, to the feed rollers 57, 60, the finger 70 serving to guide theedge of the sheet toward said rollers. As soon as the edge of the sheetenters between the feed rollers, the latter draws the sheet from thebottom of the pile and carries said edge toward the impression cylinder17and the gripper fingers 25 thereon. The table 39 advances in thedirection of the feeding rollers a sufiicient distance to cause the edgeof the sheet being fed to the press to be engaged by the rollers 57, 60,after which it returns to initial position. the same movement retractingthe suction roller (54. As the'table advances, the overhanging edge ofthe pile of sheets is supported and guided on the upper face of thefinger 70 which is substantially in the plane of the upper face of thetable. The finger 70 by which the sheets are directed toward the feedrollers comprises a relatively narrow plate 71 having a curved end 72adjacent the suction roller (34. ()n the under surface of the plate 71below the curved end 72 is a depending lug 73, the side adjacent thesuction roller being inclined rearwardly as at 71 and spaced from thesuction roller only sufficiently far to permit the sheet to pass freelytherebetween. The finger is adjustably supported on the underside of across-bar extending between the forward ends of the side bars of theswinging frame 31, by bolts 76 that pass through slots 77 in the plate71 and screwed into said cross-bar to hold the finger 70 in the desiredposition. On account of the fact that the upper face of the finger 70 isin the plane of the upper face of the table, this face operates to guidethe sheets on the-table in a straight line and without forcing thesheets up or down.

When printing sheets made from paper ranging from the thinnest tomoderately heavy material, the finger 70 is suiiicientto insure theentrance of the sheet between the suction roller and the inclinedsurface 74:, but when sheets of cardboard and the like, which aresomewhat stiff and for this reason are liable to become disengaged fromthe suction roller through their resiliency, are to be fed, a plate 80of thin sheet metal is adjustably and reversibly secured to the finger70 for different grades of cardboard by screws 81 fastened through aslot 82 in the plate 80. The forward end of this plate is'm ade quitenarrow, as at 72, so that a thin and narrow point may be presented tothe cardboard which projects a short distance beyond the curved end 72of the finger in position to extend over the edge of each sheet themoment it is separated from the pile of sheets by the rotation of thesuction dish 64, thus preventing the return of the sheet that is beingfed to the pile should it bepome released from the suction roller by itsresiliency. Plate 80 may be adjusted to bring its front end close up tosuction roller 64.- to adapt the finger to operate upon sheets of heavymaterial. The edge of the sheet being below the plate 80 the sheet willbe carried by the movement of the feed table 39 to the feed rollers 57,60. Upon loosening the bolts 76 the guide finger TO-may be adjusted toand from the suction picker with great accuracy by the thumb screw 83threaded into the cross-bar 75 the enlarged head of said screw engaginga slot 8st in the outer end of the finger. By this means the thumb screwmay be turned when the bolts 76 are loosened and the guiding finger 70adjusted to suit the sheets that are to be fed to the press.

I provide take-up means between the rear edge of the table 39 and thesuction picker to support the pile of sheets. For this purpose I preferto fasten against the rear edge of the feed table 39 a plurality oftapes 85 which extend rearwardly from said table in parallel lines andaround the hollow shaft 65 of the suction picker, or rollers on saidshaft and from thence in a forward direction to rollers 86 on a crossshaft 8? the ends of which are mounted in the side bars of the swingingframe 31. After passing around the roller 86 the tapes entend thence ashort distance in a forward direction and are each connected to one endof a spiral spring 88, the other ends of the sprlngs being fastened topins 89 that pro, ject from the bottom of the feed table. That portionof the tapes 85 between the table 39 and the suction picker 6- supportsthe rear of the pile of sheets that projects beyond said table in orderto overlie the picker and prevents the sheets dropping between the tableand picker. The tapes are taken up by being drawn around their guidingrollers as the table moves rearwardly, and lengthen out on the reversemovement of said table, The function of the springs 88 is to maintainproper tension of the tapes and prevent them yielding to the weight ofthe pile of sheets when stretched. These springs do not expand andcontract as the table reciprocate-s as both ends of each tape arefastened to the table, one directly, and the other through the spring,there is therefore no variation in tension due to the movement of thetable.

What is claimed as new is,

1. In a printing press, the combination with a main frame, a formcylinder, an impression cylinder, and a take-off frame, arranged inparallel relation, a vertically swinging frame hinged to said main frameand overlying the impression cylinder and take-off, a reciprocatingsheet supporting table on said swinging frame, automatic feedingmechanism delivering sheets to said cylinder carried by said swingingframe, and driving means supported on said main frame for actuating saidautomatic feeding mechanism, arranged to, permit the free swingingmovement of said swinging frame without disconnecting said drivingmeans.

2. In a printing press, the combination with a main frame, a formcylinder, an impression cylinder, and a take-off frame, arranged inparallel relation, a vertically swinging frame overlying the impressioncylinder and take-0E, a reciprocating table movable in said frame forsupporting the pile of sheets to be printed, said pile overlying therear edge of the table, automatic feeding mechanism delivering sheets tothe impression cylinder carried by said swinging frame, and over whichthe overhanging portion of the pile of sheets projects, means betweensaid table and the feeding mechanism for supporting the overhangingportions of the pile of sheets, and drivingmeans supported on said mainframe for actuating said automatic feeding means, arranged to permit thefree swinging movement of said swinging frame without disconnecting saiddriving means.

3. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder, anautomatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylindercomprising a pair of revolving feeding rollers, a reciprocating tablefor supporting a pile of sheets that project rearwardly over said table,an oscillating suction picker operated by said table, a membercoiiperating with said suction picker for separating a sheet from thebottom of said pile and directing it toward said rollers, said memberhaving a. fixed flat upper face in the same plane with the upper face ofthe said table, and having an inclined face for guiding the sheet towardsaid rollers, and take-up means for supporting the projecting portion ofa pile of sheets.

4. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder, anautomatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylindercomprising a pair of revolving feeding rollers,'a reciprocating tablefor supporting the pile of sheets that project rearwardly over saidtable, an oscillating suction picker operated by said table, a membercooperating with said suction picker for separating a sheet from thebottom of said pile and directing it toward said rollers, said memberhaving a fixed fiat upper face in the same plane with the upper face ofthe said table, and having an inclined face for guiding the sheet towardsaid rollers, and take-up supporting means between the rear of thereciprocating table and the suction picker for supporting the projectingportion of said pile of sheets.

5. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder, anautomatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylindercomprising a pair of revolving feeding rollers, a reciprocating tablefor supporting a pile of sheets, a fixed guiding finger and anoscillating suction picker adjacent said finger and operated by saidtable to select a sheet from the pile of sheets and guided by saidfinger direct the same toward said feeding rollers, and a separatinplate adjustably attached to said finger anc overlying the forward endof the same.

6. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder, anautomatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylindercomprising a pair of revolv ing feeding rollers, a reciprocating tablefor supporting a pile ofsheets, a guiding finger and an oscillatingsuction picker adjacent said finger and operated by said table toselecta sheet from the pile of sheets, and, guided by said finger directthe same to ward said feedingrollers, and a, separating plate adjustablyattached to said. finger and formed with a narrow end projecting beyondsaid finger. I

7. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder, anautomatic sheet feeding mechanism for delivering sheets to said cylindercomprising a pair of revolving feed rollers, a reciprocating table forsupporting a pile of sheets, an oscillating suction picker adjacent toand operated by said table to select a sheet from a pile of sheets onthe table, a guiding finger arranged in the plane of the table andoverhanging a portion of the suction picker, said finger having adownwardly inclined front wall, and a separating plate adjustablysupported in a recess formed in the upper face of said finger, saidplate being adapted to have its forward end projected beyond the forwardend of the finger.

8. In a printing press, the combination with a main frame, printingmechanism, a swinging frame, automatic feeding mechanism carried by saidswinging frame in cluding a reciprocating sheet supporting table, andmeans on said main frame for driving said automatic feeding mechanismand arranged to permit the swinging movement of said swinging framewithout disconnecting the said driving means.

9. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder, anautomatic -sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylindercomprising feed rollers, a reciprocating table for supporting a pile ofsheets that project rearwardly over said table, an oscillating suctionpicker for drawing a sheet from the bottom of said pile and directing ittoward said rollers, a cross-shaft below the table, a plurality ofpulleys mounted on said cross-shaft, and a plurality of flexible memberspassing around said pulleys and connected with said table, and alsopassing around said suction picker and attached to said table near therear portion thereof so as to form a loop passing around said suctionpicker.

10. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder, anautomatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylindercomprising a pair of revolving feed rollers, means for driving the saidfeed rollers, a reciprocating table for supporting a pile of sheetsthatproject rearwardly over said table, an oscillating suction picker fordrawing a sheet from the botto of said pile and directing it toward saidrollers, a plurality of tapes for supporting the projecting portion ofthe pile of sheets, a plurality of guide pulleys for said tapes undersaid table, said tapes passing in loops around said guide pulleys andaround said suction picker, the ends of said tapes being connected withsaid table.

11. In 'a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder,an automatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylindercomprising a pair of revolving feed rollers, means for driving the saidfeed rollers, a reciprocating table for supporting a pile of sheets thatproject rearwardly over said table, an oscillating suction pickeroperated by said table for drawing a sheet from the bottom of said pileand directing it toward said rollers, a plurality of tapes forsupporting the projecting portion of the pile of sheets, a plurality ofguide pulleys for said tapes under said table, said tapes passing inloops around said guide pulleys and around said suction picker, the endsof said tapes being connected with said table, said tapes having tensiondevices for maintaining the same taut.

12. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder ofan automatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylinder,comprising a pair of revolving feeding rollers, a reciprocating tablefor supporting a pile of sheets, a fixed guiding finger and anoscillating suction picker adjacent said finger operating to draw asheet from a pile of sheets, and guided by said finger to direct thesame toward said feeding rollers, and a relatively thin and narrowseparating plate adjacent to said finger and overlying the forward endof the same.

13. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder ofan automatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylinder,comprising a pair of revolving feeding rollers, a reciprocating tablefor supporting a pile of sheets, a fixed guiding finger and anoscillating suction picker adjacent said finger operating to draw asheet from a pile of sheets, and guided by said finger to direct thesame toward said feeding rollers. and a relatively thin and narrowseparating plate removably attached to said finger and overlying theforward 40 end of the same.

14:. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder ofan automatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylinder,comprising a pair of re- 5 volving feeding rollers, a reciprocatingtable for supporting a pile of sheets, a fixed guiding finger and anoscillating suction picker adjacent said finger operating to draw asheet-from a pile of sheets, and guided by said finger to direct thesame toward said feeding rollers, said finger having a groove in theupper face thereof. and a separating plate secured in said groove andoverlying the forward end of said guide finger, and projecting beyondthe forward edge of said guide finger.

15. In a printing press, the combination with an impression cylinder, anautomatic sheet feeding mechanism delivering sheets to said cylinder andcomprising feeding rollers, a reciprocating table for supporting a pileofv sheets, a fixed guiding finger-and an oscillating suction pickeradjacent said finger and operating to draw the lowest sheet from thepile, and guided by said finger, to direct the same toward said feedingrollers, and a relatively thin and narrow plate projecting in advance ofthe forward edge of said guide finger.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twosubscril ing witnesses.

JAMES D. REIFSNYDER. HENRY G. SCHWERDTLE. Witnesses CARL E. SCHAEFFER,SILAS E. CHILD.

@epllea of tilde patent my be obtained. for five cents each, byaddressing the "Commilaaioner. or Patenta,

- whine-ton, JD. (2.

